DIY: Replacing the a/c button backlight
 

Ok, my a/c button light has been gone for some time. And today I finally decided to do something about it. I bought the a/c replacement bulb from Honda and proceed to replace the burnt bulb.

Please bear in mind that my car is a 2005 Honda Jazz. JDM and RHD. So adjust with your local console. Should you decide to do it, neither me nor Fitfreak will be liable should anything goes wrong.

Enjoy.

What you need: A screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver. And of course the replacement bulb.

Here is the itsy bitsy replacement bulb. It’s very small. This is for the a/c indicator light (blue) there is also the a/c button backlight which will be white. Decide which bulb you need to buy.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1104/bulboj.jpg

I start at the underside of the a/c console. You will see a single screw. Remove it.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2441/bottomside.jpg

Then you can remove the underside panel. Please note, that you have to pull down the front part of the panel first in order to unhook the clip (marked by red arrow), then you can proceed to just slide it to the front to unhook the back clip (marked by white arrow). Please be patient and do it gently otherwise you will break the 3 back clips (white arrow)
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/4...tomconsole.jpg

Now the A/C console is only held by clips. There are 2 clips in each side
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9939/sidemodule.jpg

And 3 clips at the top. Remove the panel gently by pulling it out to the front. It is quite hard, but patience goes a long way. It will come off eventually.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6494/modulek.jpg

Because I want to do it fast, I didn’t remove the tape head unit and a/c cables. I just pull out the panel a bit, and work with the tight spot at the side. It saves me major time. Unless you want to do it properly and disassemble the whole thing.

Now with the tight working spot, you should be able to see the cable for the a/c button. Just push down the tab and pull it out.
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6151/cablen.jpg

Now you want to remove the a/c button. Push the black tab in (one in each side) and slide the button out front (it should pass the front of the console quite easily if you push the tab properly) DON’T FORCE it…. If you manage to break the tabs, you will have a bad time..
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4886/clip2yh.jpg

Here is a clearer look on the tabs. Remember! One in each side. You just have to wriggle your hands somehow to reach the other side…
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5392/clipv.jpg

Now look at the underside of the button and identify which bulb you’re going to replace. There are 2 bulbs. One for the A/C indicator (which I am going to replace) and the other is the backlight for the A/C button itself. Since i'm replacing the a/c indicator light, then it should be directly behind the light opening of course. Use a flathead screwdriver and GENTLY turn it counterclockwise for ¼ turn. Then pull it out.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5921/acbutton.jpg

You then just replace the bulb and reverse the order. And Voila!!!
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9219/successa.jpg

Overall it just took me around 15 minutes to do this. Not having to remove the tape and ac cables saves a lot of time. But then again, I have small hands so I can reach the inside of the console just fine.

please share the LED type, need to prepare it before open the console right

Yes, part number please...

:vtec:Good Job

Well, two cheers really. There is a vital step missing and that is that there are two 8mm bolts that need to be removed before the centre console is going anywhere. Perhaps in Kodok's case someone else had removed the console earlier to fit the stereo and not replaced them? Anyway, if you look straight up the console to the far left and right of the fan controls you will see them just above the controls. They have a Phillips head and you could just about use a screwdriver but:

1. They are fairly tight so a socket wrench is better
2. Using a socket wrench means they don't just fall out (possibly get lost) on removal and replacing them is easy because the socket holds the bolt nicely for you.

I think it would be very difficult and frustrating to replace them with a screwdriver.

You need an 8mm socket with an longish extension. About 6 inches is ideal.

Once you have them out the trick in the manual of using a wrench through the glovebox to pop the first clip by pushing from behind the console is neat. Once you have the first clip out like this you can easily get a lever or even fingers behind it and go round clockwise popping the clips one by one.

There are some useful diagrams in the manual here. Step five shows where the bolts are located and step 6 shows the push from behind through the glovebox trick.

Agreed that there is no need to disconnect fan controls and such. The console slides out plenty far enough with everything connected. My fingers are too big to get to the clip on the left of the switch. However, it's very easy to get a screwdriver in there and use that to lever the clip.

They are bulbs not LEDs and cost about $2.25 each here in Japan. You may as well change both while you are in there but in any case both of mine were burnt out. The part numbers here in Japan are:

35853-SAA-013 (white)
35851-SAA-003 (blue)

Don't know why I put up with this fault for so long. Once you have the knowhow it's a fairly easy and cheap fix. It may be useful to know how to get that console out for a variety of other reasons too.

AC Button
 

I had the lovely issue of the A/C button failing on my 2002 JDM Fit. To get to the pesky left side clip I found just pulling the radio out gives you plenty of access to the A/C button. Invest in a good set of plastic pry bars to protect the panels. After I installed the New Button I took apart the old unit to find out I could had just tweaked the internal contact the button would had worked again, but I already bought the new one. The JDM A/C button part number is 80410-SAA-942ZA (it comes complete with the lightbulbs).

HCR, I have exactly the same car with about 91k km on it. Useful to know that the switch can be opened and serviced - thanks for that.

Have you had any issues with CVT start clutch judder at about 2,000 rpm? Other than that the car performs brilliantly.

For 2007 USDM Base:
35854-sln-a01 x2 under the A/C and defogger switch
35855-sln-a01 defogger button side
35855-sln-a01 A/C button side

guys, can you please restore the photos?

cheers

good day. Would this be the same procedure for a 2010 honda fit? my ac indicator light has been out for some time now and really need to replace the bulb. any help is greatly appreciated.

The photo links are broken can someone repost.

can you please restore the photos?

I don't think anyone can restore the photos as they were stored at another website. It doesn't matter too much though. The diagrams in the manual should be plenty to guide you.

2010 honda fit
 

I have a 2010 honda fit? is there a diagram for that or tutorial i could use?

The video below gives some hints to make a good job. The removal of the A/C button is now a piece of cake :thumbups:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YswJtL6xYjc



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hi i need some help on my 2016 honda fit please my climate control lights on the temperature knob and the blower control knob are either not lit or half lit is it easy to replace the bulbs ? or how do i do it myself ? thanks

cory

Here in the states those bulbs run $8 and $12, I made the mistake of replacing one bulb then a few weeks later the other one went out. Do yourself a favor and just buy the entire switch assembly new comes with the bulbs and it’s a slightly more than just the bulbs. Paid $30 on Amazon. And wait to you have to do the gear indicator bulb on the center consul it’s a real treat.

Jerry you've got the right idea I think, I looked at those bulb prices and laughed.